PUTTAPARTHI, FEB. 12.
The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has appreciated the
Sri Satya Sai Central Trust for taking up several projects for
the benefit of people in Andhra Pradesh and other States.

He said that the Rs.
200-crore Sai Ganga project, a part of the Telugu Ganga
project, has enabled supply of drinking water to Chennai in
assured quantities. He thanked the gracious support of Satya
Saibaba for the drinking water projects, adding that the Prime
Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, too felt happy when told about
the projects.

In an impromptu press
conference at Sri Satya Sai airport here on Thursday, he said
that the lining of Kandaleru-Poondi canal, improvement to the
vulnerable sections in Kandaleru reservoir, revetment, silt
clearance and other works taken up under the Sai Ganga project
had enabled supply of assured quantity of drinking water to
Chennai.

Revetment to Kandaleru
reservoir, cement linking to K-P canal, construction of two
escape structures to let out excessive inflow into Kandaleru
during floods, construction of 50 inlets for feeding rainwater
into the reservoir form the nearby hilly region, strengthening
of approach channels in the reservoir belt, construction of
RCC walls across slopes, silt clearance in K-P canal to a
length of about 50 km were among other works taken up with the
help of Rs. 200 crores assistance extended by the Satya Sai
Trust, he said.

The present population
of Chennai (about 50 lakhs) would actually require 942 MLD of
water but the sources in Tamil Nadu were able to supply only
250 MLD. The gap in the demand was being met from the supply
of water through Telugu Ganga canal and the works taken up as
part of Sai Ganga project. Besides, the Trust had also
completed drinking water projects for 730 villages in
Anantapur district at a cost of Rs. 300 crores benefiting
12-lakh people, projects in 179 villages in Medak district at
a cost of Rs. 27 crores benefiting 4.5-lakh people and another
141 villages in Mahbubnagar district at a cost of Rs. 26
crores quenching the thirst of 3.5 lakh people.

In all, the Trust had
extended Rs. 553 crores for drinking water projects, he said.

Mr. Naidu also pointed
out that a Rs. 30-crore project to improve drinking water
supply to 1,000 villages in Chittoor district was in progress.
It was taken up under Janmabhoomi with the Satya Sai Trust
contributing 36 per cent of the cost and the Government the
remaining 64 per cent.

To a query on the lack
of water allocation to the Satya Sai Water Supply Scheme in
Anantapur district, he said the scheme would be given water
from the 5 tmcft of allocation to the Penna Ahobilam balancing
reservoir along with the drinking water project to the water
starved villages in Penukonda, Dharmavaram, Madakasira,
Hindupur and Gorantla constituencies. He also assured
sufficient funds for the development of Puttaparthi as a
global spiritual and tourism centre.

No politics, says CM

Mr. Naidu in contrast
to his earlier press conferences chose not to talk politics
and preferred to focus on development.

Speaking to
newspersons after seeing off Mr. Vajpayee at the Satya Sai
airport he said, "No politics please. I won't speak any
politics and you don't asking me anything related to politics.
We will talk only development."

He, however, discussed
politics at Prashanti Nilayam, the abode of Satya Saibaba,
when he called on Mr. Vajpayee and also had a meeting with the
TDP leaders of the district on Wednesday night.

His also reportedly
had a brief chat with Paritala Ravindra, while driving down to
the Sai Srinivasa guesthouse from the airport along with Mr.
Ravindra.

Senior Telugu Desam leaders from the district and police
officials accorded a warm reception to the Prime Minister at
Sri Satya Sai airport. Caretaker Chief Minister N Chandrababu
Naidu, who was supposed to receive Vajpayee, informed the
latter about his inability to be available at the airport as
he was pre-occupied with other programmes in the neighbouring
Kadapa district.

From the airport, the Prime Minister drove straight to Sri Sai
Srinivasa Guest House. Later, he went to Prashanti Nilayam and
had darshan of Sri Satya Sai Baba. Fifteen minutes later,
Vajpayee returned to the guesthouse.

The Prime Minister is expected to meet Sri Satya Sai Baba on
Thursday morning again before leaving for Delhi.

The chief minister, who will also stay in Sri Sai Srinivasa
Guest House, will have a darshan of Sri Satya Sai Baba on
Thursday morning before leaving for Chittoor.

In view of the stepped up violence by outlawed People's War
Naxalites in the district, police have made elaborate security
arrangements. The police have virtually taken over the
airport, guest house and are all over the town.

FROM
DECCAN HERALD

Saffron handshake...Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee with Sri Satya Sai Baba at his ashram at Puttaparthi
in Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.

Prime Minister
Atal Bihari Vajpayee had a one-hour long audience with spiritual
leader Sai Baba, the second during his two-day visit to this
spiritual town, before emplaning for Delhi on Thursday morning.

Official sources said Vajpayee met Sai Baba
at his abode, Prashanti Nilayam, where the prime minister stayed
overnight and had a 15-minute audience soon after his arrival
amidst unprecedented security on Wednesday.

In the wake of activities of outlawed
People's War Group in the naxal-hit Ananthpur district, police had
thrown a thick security blanket and "sanitised" the entire route
from the airport to Prashanti Nilayam.

Bomb disposal squads were deployed and
round-the-clock patrol held as part of beefed up security.

During Vajpayee's stay here, Andhra
Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam leader Chandrababu Naidu
also had a 45-minute meeting with him on Wednesday.

PUTTAPARTHI, FEB. 11. The Prime
Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, arrived here this evening on a two-day
visit to the spiritual town. He was given a warm reception by officials
and leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Telugu Desam Party.

Mr. Vajpayee along with his
official entourage arrived at the Satya Sai airport by a special aircraft
of the Indian Air Force at 4.25 p.m. He was received by the Minister for
Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, N. Kistappa, former MPs — K.
Srinivasulu and B.K. Parthasarathi — the Zilla Parishad Chairperson, J.
Suryanarayana, the district president of the TDP, V. Hanumantharaya
Chowdary, the district president of the BJP, V. Pundareekaksha Reddy, the
party leaders — M.S. Parthasarathi, P. Venkataramanappa, and B.S.
Vidyasagar — and others.

The District Collector, Y.V.
Anuradha, the secretary of the Satya Sai Central Trust, S. Chakravarthy,
and others were also among those who welcomed the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister drove straight
to the Sai Srinivasa guest house for stay and visited Sri Satya Saibaba in
the evening.

He spent half an hour at the Sai
Kulwanth Auditorium having general darshan of Saibaba.

Later, he had a special darshan
for 15 minutes in the green room.

Security for the Prime Minister
was so tight that only a handful of politicians from the BJP and TDP and a
few lensmen of the media were allowed at the airport.

Soon after his arrival, Vajpayee, who was
received by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and other
officials, drove straight to Srinivasa Guest House. He would have
darshan of Sai Baba at Prashanti Nilayam.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is arriving in the holy town
of Puttaparthi of Sri Sathya Sai Baba this afternoon on a two-day visit,
amidst unprecedented security in view of stepped up violence by outlawed
People's War Group in the district.

Vajpayee is slated to arrive at around 3 p.m. and have darshan of Sai
Baba at Prashanti Nilayam, his abode. The Prime Minister would have
overnight halt in Puttaparthi. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N
Chandrababu Naidu is also coming.

The Prime Minister's convoy route from airport to Prashanti Nilayam, and
its premises, have been "sterilised" by bomb disposal squads drawn from
Kurnool and Chittor districts.

Round-the-clock patrolling has been on.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements. Every vehicle coming
to the town is being checked and hotels and lodges as well as buildings
in the Nilayam have also been scanned.

The Special Protection Group, National Security Guard, Armed Reserve
Police, Andhra Pradesh Special Police and a large number of police
personnel are part of the security cover.

New Delhi : Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
will visit Sathya Sai Baba, a spiritual leader with millions of
followers worldwide, at his ashram in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh on
Wednesday, officials said.

Vajpayee will leave for Puttaparthi in the afternoon after visiting
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom calls
on him at his official residence and return to New Delhi on Thursday.

"The prime minister has no other engagements in Puttaparthi," an
official said. Vajpayee is visiting the highly revered guru ahead of the
national elections expected in April-May.

PTI adds: The Prime Minister is arriving at this spiritual town of Sri
Sathya Sai Baba on Wednesday afternoon on a two-day visit, amidst
unprecedented security in view of stepped up violence by outlawed
People's War Group in the district.

Vajpayee is slated to arrive at around 3 pm And have darshan of Sai Baba
at Prashanti Nilayam, his abode. The Prime Minister would have overnight
halt here. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is also
coming.

The Prime Minister's convoy route from airport to Prashanti Nilayam, and
its premises, have been "sterilised" by bomb disposal squads drawn from
Kurnool and Chittor districts. Round-the-clock patrolling has been on.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements. Every vehicle coming
to the town is being checked and hotels and lodges as well as buildings
in the Nilayam have also been scanned.

The Special Protection Group, National Security Guard, Armed Reserve
Police, Andhra Pradesh Special Police and a large number of police
personnel are part of the security cover.

ANANTAPUR, FEB. 9. The Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee,
will arrive at Puttaparthi on February 11 on a two-day visit to the
spiritual town. According to the tentative programme, he will return to
Delhi on February 12 afternoon.

According to officials, the Prime Minister will arrive
at Puttaparthi airport by a special IAF aircraft at 2 pm on February 11.
He will proceed to the guest house in Prashanti Nilayam immediately. He
will have darshan of Satya Saibaba between 4.30 pm and 5.30 pm on February
11.

After making the night halt in Prashanti Nilayam the
Prime Minister will leave for Delhi at 11.20 am on February 12. The Chief
Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, is also likely to arrive at Puttaparthi on
February 11. Meanwhile, the district administration is making tight
security arrangements for the PM's visit. Sleuths of the SPG have already
arrived at Puttaparthi to oversee the foolproof security arrangements.
Unprecedented security arrangements are being made, particularly in the
backdrop of the People's War attack on TDP leaders in the district on
February 8.

The district Collector, Y.V. Anuradha, the DIG of
Police of Anantapur Range, Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, the Superintendent of
Police, Anil Kumar, and other key officials are camping at Puttaparthi to
oversee the arrangements.

Sonia's visit: The Congress president, Sonia Gandi, is
also likely to make a brief visit to Puttaparthi on February 18. According
to party sources, they are yet to get details of their leader's visit.

By Our Staff ReporterANANTAPUR, FEB. 10. Unprecedented security measures have been
taken for the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee's two-day visit to
Puttaparthi commencing tomorrow. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu
Naidu, is also coming.

Sterilisation of the Prime Minister's convoy route, from the airport
to Prashanti Nilayam and within the nilayam campus, has been taken up
with bomb disposal squads checking the route continuously in three
shifts. Round-the-clock patrolling has also been on for the last three
days.

According to police sources, every vehicle -- Government and private -
entering the spiritual town is being thoroughly checked.

Hotels and lodges in the town are also being scanned. Besides, police
teams led by the National Security Guards have also been checking
buildings within the nilayam.

Unprecedented security measures have been taken up after the
observation of the Prakash Singh Commission, which went into the
security set-up at Tirupati and Puttaparthi along with probing into
the Alipiri attack on Mr. Naidu.

Vajpayee was closetted with Sai Baba for about 15 minutes at 'Green
Room', the interview hall of Baba at his abode Prashanti Nilayam,
official sources said. He also spent five minutes at 'Bhajan Hall'.

The Prime Minister's convoy route from the airport to Prashanti
Nilayam had been "sterlised" by bomb disposal squads drawn from
Kurnool and Chitoor districts with a round-the-clock patrol on as part
of tightened security. The Prime Minister will leave for Delhi today.

Anantapur, Feb. 10:
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is arriving in Puttaparthi on
Wednesday for a two-day visit. Official sources said that the Prime
Minister would reach Sri Satya Sai Airport at 3.30 pm. Caretaker Chief
Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya,
State BJP president N Indrasena Reddy and others would receive him at the
airport. The Prime Minister would leave Puttaparthi at 11.30 am on
Thursday.

Apart from the 50 SPG
personnel, who are already in Puttaparthi, three additional SPs, eight
DSPs, 30 CIs, 70 SIs, 75 ASIs, 600 constables, five platoons of armed
reserve police, two platoons of APSP and a platoon of Special Greyhounds
Force would be deployed at Puttaparthi during the Prime Minister’s visit,
police sources said.

PUTTAPARTHI: Prime Minister A B Vajpayee will
visit Sathya Sai Baba at his ashram in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh
on Wednesday, officials said.

The Prime Minister is arriving at this spiritual town of Sri Sathya
Sai Baba on a two-day visit, amidst unprecedented security in view
of stepped up violence by outlawed People's War Group in the
district.

Vajpayee is slated to arrive at around 3 pm after visiting Israeli
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom calls on
him at his official residence and have darshan of Sai Baba at
Prashanti Nilayam, his abode.

The Prime Minister would have overnight halt here and return to New
Delhi on Thursday. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu
is also coming.

"The prime minister has no other engagements in Puttaparthi," an
official said. Vajpayee is visiting the highly revered guru ahead of
the national elections expected in April-May.

The Prime Minister's convoy route from airport to Prashanti Nilayam,
and its premises, have been "sterilised" by bomb disposal squads
drawn from Kurnool and Chittor districts. Round-the-clock patrolling
has been on.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements. Every vehicle
coming to the town is being checked and hotels and lodges as well as
buildings in the Nilayam have also been scanned.

The Special Protection Group, National Security Guard, Armed Reserve
Police, Andhra Pradesh Special Police and a large number of police
personnel are part of the security cover.